Enhanced tumor targeting effects of a novel paclitaxel-loaded polymer: PEG–PCCL-modified magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

Figures & data

Figure 1. Synthesis schematic of PEG–PCCL-MNP, PEG–PCCL, and their PTX-loaded nanoparticles. (A) PEG–PCCL-MNP (B) PEG–PCCL.

Table 1A. Characterization of PEG–PCCL-MNP (mean ± SD, n = 3).

Samples	Particle size (nm)	PDI	Zeta potential (mV)	Conductivity (mS/cm)	EE (%)
PEG–PCCL	79.60 ± 0.95	0.336	−18.40 ± 6.32	0.0142	55.98
PEG–PCCL-MNP	86.39 ± 0.94	0.370	−23.50 ± 5.44	0.0196	59.72

Figure 2. Uptake image of PEG–PCCL-MNP by cells using transmission electron microscope. (A/B): normal HepG2 cells; (C/D): HepG2 cells treated with PEG–PCCL-MNP polymers; (E/F): normal HEK293 cells; (G/H): HEK293 cells treated with PEG–PCCL-MNP polymers (black arrow represents iron oxide particles; thick black arrow represents endosome of nanoparticles. Image A/C/E/G 6000×, Image B/D/F/H 12,000×).

Figure 3. Effect on the cell viability of the nanoparticles on different cells by MTT assays. (A) HEK 293 cells treated with PEG–PCCL and PEG–PCCL-MNP; (B) HepG2 cells treated with PEG–PCCL and PEG–PCCL-MNP. (C) Annexin V/PI apoptosis detection after PEG–PCCL (0.5 mg/ml) and PEG–PCCL-MNP (0.5 mg/ml) treatment for 4 h. Cells stained green represents early apoptosis and cells stained red represents necrosis. (D) Hemolysis ratio in vitro after PEG–PCCL (0.5 mg/ml) and PEG–PCCL-MNP (0.5 mg/ml) treatment by different time.

Table 1B. The renal function of PEG–PCCL-MNP (mean ± SD, n = 3).

Samples	Carbamide (mmol/L)	Creatinine (µmol/L)	Llithic acid (µmol/L)
NS	3.91 ± 0.41	5.53 ± 0.35	16.53 ± 3.64
PEG–PCCL	1.64 ± 0.23	2.02 ± 0.18	13.15 ± 4.31
PEG–PCCL-MNP	2.07 ± 0.26	5.57 ± 0.26	15.87 ± 3.27

Figure 5. (A) The tumor growing curves for different treatment groups (n = 5). (B) The tumor weight of mice after treatments with different formulations (n = 5). Significant differences: *p < .05, ***p < .001, compared with the saline group. (C) The body weight of mice after treatments with different formulations (n = 5).